Newport, N.C.

Sept. 12, 2013

TO THE EDITOR:

Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 2013. What a day!

We met up with some riders from the Salisbury, N.C., area and a handful of others in Fredericksburg, Va., to head to Harley Davidson of Washington, D.C., in Fort Washington, Md.

Running on three hours sleep and anticipation. Arrived at the dealership at the scheduled 8 a.m. registration time. It was already hot. The sky was clear, just as it was on 9/11/2001. Anybody who wanted one was given a sticker with the name of a person who had perished on 9/11 to take with them on the ride. Stephen Huczko Jr. was ours.

Motorcycles of every description, size, make, color and custom combination. Men, women, children, black, white, young, old, tattoos, neon pink hair, clean cut guys, rough looking guys, demurely dressed women, some “trashy women.”

A sea of black leather vests. Patches depicting various political, social and religious opinions. A red bike with a charred NYFD captain’s helmet strapped on the back. (I admit I was misty eyed with that one).

Teal and black Harleys with matching sidecar ridden by two women. Lots of flags, American flags, POW flags, Don’t Tread on Me flags, PGR flags, Texas flags.

One guy from Australia, several Canadians. People from Texas, California, Arizona, Indiana (thanks to the Indiana rider who offered me a ride on his bike, which I had to decline), Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, New York.

I saw T-shirts, vests and patches from nearly every state, including Alaska. A young man handed out small American flags that he had personally driven to every crash site in one day.

Patriot Guard Riders, American Legion Riders, Hell’s Angels, Christian Motorcycle Association, The Brotherhood, Blue Knights, Purple Heart Riders, Rolling Thunder. These are just some of the groups and clubs represented.

A feeling of excitement, pride in America, people happy to be there, a totally positive feel to the day. Blue and white Washington, D. C., police helicopter overhead. A moment of silence at precisely the times of each attack. Heads bowed.

Then, promptly at 11 a.m., as planned, kick stands were up. No way to describe the sound and feel of, literally, acres of motorcycles. The bikes pulled out, staggered two abreast, non-stop, no breaks, for a solid 50 minutes (and that was just at this one staging location; there were more than one location).

Lots of D.C. cops at the site, all helpful and supportive. The street was lined with men, women and children, waving flags, cheering, waving the bikers on.

In D.C., people along the streets were waving, shouting their support, generally showing pride in America. The brainchild of one woman, and with only about three weeks of preparation time, this was an event of epic proportions. Planners intend to make this an annual event. God willing, I will be there next year. (Thanks to my grandson, David Allen Jones, for making this trip possible for me).

Most impressive: that people love, and believe in America so strongly, that they will, on very short notice, interrupt their lives and invest their time, money and energy to take a stand and make a statement. That, my friends, is what makes this the greatest nation on the planet, and no group of politicians can “fundamentally” change that. God bless America!

JENNIFER HUDSON

Letter to the Editor by Eric Broyles

Morehead City Taxpayer Alert

I do not know how many of our Morehead City residents required EMS services after reading about Morehead City Manager’s proposed 14 percent increase in property taxes reported in the Times-News on May 31, 2013.  After the initial shock and awe wore off, I decided to investigate into the truth of the matter.  I immediately talked with two of our “fiscally conservative” City Council Members and they confirmed to me this was the case. Continue reading →

Proposed Insurance Rate Increase for 2012

The entire basis for the proposed rate increase is based on flawed data and analysis. First, the increase cites the increased cost of replacing property due to the increased risk of wind and flood damage in coastal NC due to hurricanes. In fact, wind and flood damage in NC is not limited to hurricanes on the coast as history shows that wind damage from hurricanes often takes its toll well inland, west of I-95. In addition, wind and flood damage is not limited to hurricanes, but includes other wind event such as tornadoes that often occur west of I-95. Second, to claim that wind and flood on the coast puts insurance companies at higher risks is a fallacy since most insurance companies have abandoned homeowners to the “wind pool” and flood insurance is covered by federal flood insurance. The insurance companies are at no higher risk due to these events because they no longer insure homeowners against these risks. To use the unproved claim that the coast is at higher risk to wind and flood damage and therefore the claims against insurance companies is higher is an out right untruth since the insurance companies are not responsible for damages from these events.

More disturbing, however, is the timing of this proposed rate increase. During the election for a new Insurance Commissioner, this seems to be a win-win strategy for the current Insurance Commissioner. Mr. Wayne Goodwin has already touted his undocumented savings to homeowners in numerous television ads. Now he is afforded the opportunity by the insurance companies and the insurance Rate Board to deny all or part of the proposed ridiculous homeowner insurance rate (30% for coastal NC). Mr. Goodwin can deny all or part of the proposed increase, then release new political ads on how he again saved the homeowners of NC millions of dollars in premiums. While all along, you the homeowner will be paying more for insurance that not the insurance companies are liable for but that will be paid under the Federal Flood Insurance and “Wind-Pool” Insurance programs, and by all the taxpayers in NC and the USA. In the end, it is we the people who pay, while giving Mr. Wayne Goodwin another false issue on which to campaign.

Kenneth Lang

Letter to the Editor
“What is the NCGOP Leadership Hiding?”

In February 2012, I wrote a Letter to the Editor (LTE) of our local paper. It asked the question “What If” and followed with a number of questions about what appeared to be interference in local and district elections in North Carolina. It began with the question “What if two NC Senators and a NC Representative came to our County and picked the candidate to run for the Senate seat that represents you, the voters of Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico Counties?” Well, that did happen in NC Senate District 2 Primary race (and they lost). Similar stories are being circulated about other counties in eastern NC like in Pitt County, and more recently in NC House District 6. In fact, it has been claimed that at the recent NCGOP Convention in Greensboro, a delegate from Carteret County was passing out a flyer that asked questions similar to those in my February LTE. Questions like “Is the NCGOP intruding into local or state and national primaries,” and “Are they recruiting and supporting newly switched Democrats and opportunist RINOs to run against conservative incumbents and principled new candidates,” and “Are they running Decoy Candidates so as to manipulate elections and place their puppets?” The flyer also cited portions of the NCGOP Plan of Organization that prohibits such actions by Party officials. The flyer, and the lady distributing the flyer quickly attracted the attention of no less than four senior Party officials, , who confronted the lady distributing the flyer with fingers wagging, tongues lashing, and threats of suing for libel and slander flowing. But wait, there’s more!

Editor

The current Republican Primary Election in particular, a local race for NC Senate Dist 2, has the public and many voters confused with blatant twisted distortion of facts, innuendo and outright lies that are being spun to a mostly uninformed electorate. This confusion is as bad as I have ever seen in my participation in Republican Politics beginning about 1950, as a high school kid. I grew up in a household in which the Honor Code of the U.S. Military Academies was instilled in me and later had the honor of becoming and serving as an Army Officer via Army OCS where it was also expected of me. To “Lie, Cheat /  Steal or to Allow or Condone Others or Those That Do” is just beyond the pale for me whether it is done as a military officer, civilian corporate executive, businessman, political candidate, local state or Federal employee or an elected official at any level from the township to the White House. Do I know it occurs, Yes.  Do I ignore it, No. Do I condone it, No.  Am I willing to confront it, Damn Right!

Recently, Representative Pat McElraft ( R ) who represents both Carteret and Jones Counties in the NC House, stood up and in a Letter to the Editors of local area newspapers ( Ignored by the New Bern Sun ) set the record straight in a gutsy political move.  You see Representative McElraft, did what darn few elected officials seem willing to do today, she did the right thing without regard for her own political public service future or personal gain, SHE TOLD THE TRUTH! That was refreshing and that is what we all clamor for in our elected officials. Party loyalty or silence is great, but not at the expense of ones personal principles or the possible election of an unfit candidate. The same applies to elected public servants who sit on the sideline based on some idea/myth that because it is a primary election you should; sit back and not say anything even when you know what is being said is a lie or distortion . This is one of the problems in our modern American politics, elected officials/leaders who fail to stand on Principle and Truth and their seeming loss of a political moral compass once elected and /or their fear of loss of personal political legacy. The political lie moves quickly in the multiple modern systems of communication and is hard to refute.

So, will our Eastern North Carolina leadership, as elected officials/ public servants / party officials, continue to sit on the political sidelines in this critical 2012 NC. Primary Election or will they stand up and help set the public voting electorate straight?  Will they be “Honor Bound and Fearless”?

Austin M “Gus” Wilgus, Lt.Col. Army Retired, Republican Precinct Chairman Emerald Isle NC

Emerald Isle NC

In his letter to the editor (Sunday, April 22), Rick Poillon defends Randy Ramsey’s substantial donations to Democrat candidates and the NC Democrat party.  Mr Poillon says that as a business owner,  Mr. Ramsey’  way of looking out for his own business interests, a way for him to grease the skids to gain favorable treatment for his business.  Mr. Ramsey himself made similar comments at a recent GOP meeting in which he said that he is a business man, and that in an effort to develop a “conduit” between his business and the people in Raleigh, and to gain “inroads” in Raleigh for his business, he had contributed heavily to Democrat candidates, but that he had “been disappointed in them” (although he continued to contribute to their campaigns).  Mr. Poillon defends Mr. Ramsey’s actions as “just the way politics work”. But I beg to differ.  Norman Sanderson and his wife Linda have been small business owners for more than 20 years.  But there is no record of them making huge political contributions to candidates and a political party that they simply don’t agree with in an effort to curry favor from Raleigh.  So, is it “politics as usual”, or is Randy Ramsey just “looking out for number one”?  And as your Senator, will he look out for the interests of all of eastern North Carolina, or will he still “look out for number one”?  You decide.

Jennifer Hudson

Editor,

If anyone had any doubt about Randy Ramsey’s true political leanings this week had to be the clincher. We have see more of the endless stream of slick glossy mailers and now radio attack ads targeting Norm Sanderson. The strange thing is that these attacks only go to show that Randy Ramsey is exactly what a number of us have been saying for weeks that he is really a liberal just like the folks he has been supporting and he has actually impugned every Republican in both the NC House and Senate for their stand against Obama-care.

The “misinformation” mailers say that Norm Sanderson voted to implement Obama-care. Anyone who follows North Carolina state politics knows this is pure BULL as Norm Sanderson co sponsored the Health Care Freedom Act which would have outlawed Obama-care in North Carolina.Unfortunately, Ramsey’s best political friend Governor Beverly Purdue VETOED it!

So, knowing that Sanderson was a leader in the fight against Obama-care what are these mailers referencing? Ramsey, cites House Bill 115 and perhaps he should have read it before letting his hot shot, out of state political handlers start a firestorm  of lies. I have looked up the Bill on line and here are some facts you can look up also if you and your reporting staff or readers wish to.

1. The bill (115 ) is subtitled “ AN ACT TO PRESERVE STATE BASED AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE NORTH CAROLINA HEALTHCARE INSURANCE MARKET AND PREVENT FEDERAL ENCROACHMENT ON STATE AUTHORITY BY ESTABLISHING THE NORTH CAROLINA BENEFIT EXCHANGE. Does that sound like a bill that supports Obama-care??

First this bill is a safety net for North Carolina in case the Federal Government forces Obama-care on us. We would have a plan in place to protect ourselves if the Supreme Court does not declare the whole thing null and void and if it does so, then House Bill (115) becomes null and void. This Bill was co-sponsored by Carteret’s NC Representative Pat McElraft and further it was supported by every Republican in the NC House, plus 18 Democrats. Only the most liberal Democrats voted against it so that tells you where Ramsey stands. It proves to me and others that Ramsey will do and say anything to get himself elected. He is more than willing to distort the Truth for his personal political gain which means to me he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing  or RINO (Republican In Name Only) and probably thinks and hopes the electorate and average voters are to stupid to check things out.

I know there are people that will still support Ramsey no matter what he does or says. Some see him as a local who “is from around here” and that seems to trump the pile of evidence that grows as high as his mountain of mailers. It still amazes me when people who claim to be conservative Republicans can’t see that Randy Ramsey has all the trademark characteristics of a liberal Democrat used to buying influence, power, and position by hook or by crook. I am also amazed still that the only media in North Carolina really on this story is the Carolina Journal

Austin M. “Gus”  Wilgus

To the Editor:

As a State Representative, I am fully aware that politics is not for the faint of heart.  Any elected official understands that they will be judged on their voting record and I stand on my record over the years.  But when people distort that record, you must defend yourself and those who stand with you.

Upon hearing of my legislative colleague Norman Sanderson’s intention of running for State Senate, I promptly endorsed his candidacy.  I have personally witnessed his conservative values and work ethic in the State House and have no doubt he will be a strong conservative voice for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties.  After lending my initial endorsement, I made no other public comment. I thought that was the right thing to do as a Republican to let the candidates fight this out.  However, I can no longer remain silent since I, personally,and 67 other Republican Legislators have been brought into this with the latest Randy Ramsey Ad and flyer.

State Senate candidate Randy Ramsey recently aired a radio ad and sent out a mailer that accused Representative Sanderson of voting to implement ObamaCare.  I was the co-sponsor of the bill that was referenced (HB115) and it was supported by every Republican member of the House as well as 18 conservative Democrats.  Only the most liberal Democrats voted against this largely procedural bill that saved North Carolina taxpayers countless dollars.  In fact, the full title of the legislation was An Act to Preserve State-Based Authority to Regulate the North Carolina Health Insurance Market and Prevent Federal Encroachment on State Authority by Establishing the North Carolina Benefit Exchange.  As the name implies, it was designed to limit the power of ObamaCare.  Randy Ramsey’s blatant misrepresentation of this bill was not only an attack on Norman Sanderson but on every Republican who voted for this piece of common-sense legislation.

The very first piece of business for the Republican led legislature in 2011 was passing House Bill #2, entitled Protect Health Care Freedom.  I was proud to co-sponsor that bill with Representative Sanderson, knowing that it protected North Carolina’s citizens from ObamaCare and the overreaching authority of the Federal Government into your health care decisions.  That important piece of legislation would be law today if had not been vetoed by Governor Bev Perdue.

For anyone to say that Norman Sanderson, myself or any Republican legislator supports ObamaCare is outrageous and a blatant misrepresentation of the facts.  Randy Ramsey has either chosen to resort to distortion in a desperate attempt to gain votes or he has not researched the information his campaign team is releasing.  Either way, the practice is unacceptable and should immediately cease.

Pat McElraft
Emerald Isle, NC
District 13 State Representative

Letter to the Editor

Who didn’t show up for the Party?

The Carteret County Republican Convention was Saturday, March 10, 2012 at the Leon Mann Center in Morehead City, NC. It was as inspiring as it was informative. The Who’s Who in the county GOP were in attendance; well, almost everyone. A record breaking 96 delegates and guest attended this year, including NC Senator Jean Preston, and Representatives Pat McElraft and Norm Sanderson. Every Republican candidate in the County’s state, and local elections were present to tell the convention delegates their vision and plans for the state or county if they are elected, all EXCEPT one. Frank Palombo, who is challenging Congressman Walter B. Jones in the third District House race, was at the convention. Representative Norm Sanderson, and Mayor Ken Jones, candidates for the NC Senate race to replace retiring Senator Preston were there. Representative Pat McElraft, who is unopposed in the Republican primary, was there, as were Carteret County Commissioner hopefuls Harry Taylor, Elaine Crittenton, Jimmy Farrington, Larry Land, Terry Frank, and Craig Weber. Two District Judge candidates were also at the convention, Clinton Rowe and Dave McFadyen; and Debra Goldman, candidate for State Auditor was there. Only one Republican candidate from Carteret County didn’t show up to the Republican Party convention to address the delegates. It was the one who has donated nearly 15 times more money to the NC Democrat Party and Democrat candidates than he has to Republicans because in his words “they [the Democrats] best represent the voters in Carteret County.” Randy Ramsey didn’t come to the Party to face the Republican delegates to explain why over the last 15 years he has donated so much money to the Democrat Party, or why he hasn’t been seen at any Republican functions or fundraisers. Mr. Ramsey didn’t come to the Party to explain to the Republican delegates why much of the money he has raised thus far in his bid for the District 2 Senate seat has come from Democrat donors. Mr. Ramsey didn’t even come to the Party to tell the Republican delegates how he “will best represent the voters of Carteret County.” Mr. Ramsey didn’t show up for the Party to campaign or glad-hand the delegates. I guess you could say, Mr. Ramsey was a Carteret County Republican Party pooper.

Ken Lang
Stella, NC
252-777-3066

To the Editor:

I want to thank each County Commissioner for conducting an exceptionally informative meeting with the Board of Education on Monday evening, October 16, 2011. What the Board of Commissioners did for the citizens of Carteret County on Monday is what the Board of Education should  be doing for the taxpayers of Carteret County, but unfortunately are not. In my view, the Board of Education should be as well versed in the details of the school  budget as the Superintendent, however,  it was apparent on Monday that some on the BOE do not understand their own budget, and more importantly how to effectively oversee the expenditure of that money. Some of the BOE seemed to struggle throughout the meeting to remember what version of the school  budget was provided to the Board of Commissioners and when. Near the end of the meeting the BOE Chairman claimed to have provided revised budget information to the Board of Commissioners that clearly had not been seen by any of the Commissioners. The Chairman of the BOE then launched into a rather unprofessional tirade on transparency (that currently is non-existent)  bringing the meeting to an end.

I want to be clear, I am not opposed to adequate funding of the Carteret County Schools. I do however want to know that our taxpayer money is being well spent and well managed by the Board of Education. I did not get the feeling Monday night that either the School Board or the Superintendent are fulfilling these expectations. Thankfully, the Board of Commissioners is there to do the job that the Board of Education should be doing for the taxpayers who elected them for that very purpose.

BREAKING NEWS! School System to Seek Funds!!  This is the headline of an article in your October 16 issue of the News-Times and is no big surprise.  Apparently, the $19 million approved by the County Board of Commissioners was just not enough. Nineteen MILLION dollars! Nineteen million one dollar bills laid end to end would stretch 1841 miles; the distance from Morehead City to Boulder, Colorado!!  It is just unbelievable how deep the “sucking black hole” of education is in this state.

Kudos to the county commissioners for requiring the school system to provide quarterly reports before turning over the rest of the “booty.”  Old Blackbeard would be proud of the techniques used by our modern day pirates to fill their coffers. I hope the reports are required to include detailed itemized expenditures.

Why am I not surprised to see that headline? It could be because it seems to me the primary purpose of the education department in this state, from Raleigh to the county level, is to see just how much “booty” can be taken from public funds.  These folks want to squeeze us dry. Once they get the $500,000, I say they will be back before the end of the school year whining for another couple of million. I mean, what is a million here or a million there when it comes to “educating” our children?

I really believe the NC Department of Public Instruction could receive B. Hussein Obama’s entire initial stimulus, and would still cry for another $500,000.  Their thirst for public funds is unquenchable.

I don’t believe the school boards publicize all the sources of their “booty.”  There are several sources other than our tax money.  And I am probably asking for a lot of criticism by not revealing the referenced sources. But, if anyone is interested in knowing of those sources, do a little research.  The Demowhacks and other progressive liberal leftists would not accept my sources anyway, so I suggest they check it out on their own. They might be surprised, I know I was.

Just one person’s opinion.

Harry Thompson

by Eric Broyles

After the firing of 31 shots at Representative Gabrielle Gifford and others, one would think we would be more mindful of what we say and the words we chose considering the polarized environment we live in, especially for those in a leadership role.  Even though there was no association or linkage between the gunman and the Tea Party, the Tea Party was blamed by many for the cause of the incident.

Apparently, Vice President Joseph Biden, Representative Maxine Waters, and The Carteret County Democratic Party Chairman Kenneth Humphreys have trouble controlling their derogatory comments and hate rhetoric.  Now we have a Vice President of the United States and The Carteret County Democratic Party Chairman naming and labeling all Tea Party members as “TERRORIST”.  Maxine Waters, a Representative of the people, recently condemn her Tea Party constituency to “HELL”.  In addition, Ken Humphreys also refers to Tea Party members as “THUGS” in the letter he sent to the editor called “Negotiating with thugs”, which was published in the Carteret News Times on August 7, 2011.   These individual’s reckless and dangerous verbal diatribe may have caused grievous injury to Tea Party members locally and nationally by putting them in physical harm’s way.

When you reference an individual or a group as “Terrorists”, you are reclassifying their legal legitimacy and status to that of Osama Bin Laden or Al Queda, especially if you are a high ranking government official like the Vice President of the United States.  This type of false labeling and branding willfully incites and targets acts of aggression and public disobedience against those so labeled.  Countries like Germany, Russia, China, Rwanda, and many more used similar dialogue and tactics to first incite and turn their populace against those of certain political and religious beliefs before marshalling in their programs of imprisonment and extermination.  These kinds of politically motivated doctrine(s) and program(s) of hatred and bias over time have resulted in the imprisonment and genocide of millions of innocent civilians.

Could the Tea Party or its members be the next sacrificial lambs because they exercised their 1st Amendment rights by speaking out against their government’s spending habits and governance?  Should we be concerned as citizens that a senior leader of our country has painted a bull’s eye on the back of every Tea Party member for their political beliefs?   Yes we should!  Politically based and inciting statements (e.g. – Terrorist, Racist, Thugs, and etc.) against innocent citizens and civilians, whose only intent is to spin more hatred and discord among the citizenry, have absolutely no place in society.  Today the Tea Party members, tomorrow it could be you!

Has a “Hate Crime” been committed as a result of the verbal actions of The Vice President, Representative  Maxine Waters, or Carteret County Democratic Party Chairman Ken Humphreys?  Several websites (e.g. – Wikipedia, Yahoo Answers, Freebase, and etc.) state, a “Hate Crime (also known as a bias-motivated crime) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, social status, or political affiliation”.  Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, recently passed under the Obama administration in October 22, 2009 , states “A prominent characteristic of a violent crime motivated by bias is that it devastates not just the actual victim and the family and friends of the victim, but frequently savages the community sharing the traits that caused the victim to be selected”.  Additionally, Title 18 section 16 under the United States Code defines a violent crime as “(a) an offense that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person or property of another, or (b) any other offense that is a felony and that, by its nature, involves a substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the offense”.  Five states, including Oregon, now designate political affiliation violence as a “hate crime”.  Considering the number of recorded deaths in history as a result of political or religious persecution, I would consider politically oriented hate crimes as the #1 crime of all mankind.  Like most “Hate Crime” programs of persecution, it usually starts with hate rhetoric, labeling, and targeting of certain individuals or group(s) (e.g. – The Tea Party) before it advances to its next level of physical violence.  Hate crime or not?

It is time to tone down the irresponsible rhetoric that causes and escalate future “Hate Crimes” against certain segments of the population and innocent law abiding citizens.  Those labeling the Tea Party and its followers as “Terrorist and Thugs”  need to open the King James Version of the bible to Exodus 20:16 and read the scripture “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” and abide by God’s Commandment.  Furthermore, someone in the Democratic Party ought to tell Representative Maxine Waters that the Constitution does not give her the legislative authority or power to send a group of her constituency or citizens to “HELL”, only God has that right!   Even when differences exist among us, it is better to break bread and not war!

I have often asked myself over the past several days what Congresswomen Gabrielle Gifford would say and do considering the heartbreak and suffering she and others have had to suffer as a result of the hate crime committed against them one Saturday morning in January 2011?  I think she would tell us that society should stand up against this type of dialogue, whose only intent is to defame and incite the future commission of possible violence and “Hate Crimes” against a person or group for their political beliefs.  I do not believe any individual has the right to encourage or incite possible future acts of mob violence, individual violence and aggression, or hostility against innocent and law abiding Tea Party groups or its members for their beliefs in promoting fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free trade of American products.  Open civilized debate is one thing, but allowing and promoting hate mongering, branding, and labeling to continue has no place in a democratic society.

In the words of former Vice President Al Gore: “We must send a clear and strong message to all who would commit crimes of hate: it is wrong, it is illegal, and we will catch you and punish you to the full force of our laws.” In view of this, maybe it is time for both the North Carolina and United States Attorney General’s Offices to look into the inflammatory public remarks of individuals that are labeling and targeting Tea Party Groups and its members as “TERRORIST” and “Thugs”, to see if it constitutes a “Hate Crime”.

I received an email from a TEA Party friend today that pointed me to an ABC News web source about another flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars.  The Washington Watch Dog segment of ABC News picked up this story from the National Public Radio news.  This in itself is hard to believe; that ABC, much less NPR, would air something negative regarding federal spending.

The story is that in 2005, Congress ordered the US Mint to make presidential dollar coins commemorating every dead US President.  The US Mint in Philadelphia is making 1.8 million coins per day at a cost of 32 cents each.  Folks, this is about $576,000 per day for these dollar coins that apparently no one wants. These coins are going into temporary storage at the Federal Reserve in Baltimore.  A warehouse full of metal shelving 8’ high storing millions of commemorative presidential coins.

The spending doesn’t stop there.  They must have a vault large enough for all these millions of unwanted coins.  So what are they doing about it?  They will spend another $650,000 to build a vault in which to keep the unnecessary and costly waste.  Of course the vault will not be built close to the point of production. No way, that would make way too much sense and cost less.  So, they plan to build the vault in Dallas; Texas that is.  Now they have shipping costs to consider.  Three million dollars of shipping costs to transport these millions of coins to a safe haven far, far away.

The really idiotic thing about this story is they plan to continue making these “fools gold” coins until 2016.  By that time the number of coins will be in the ballpark of 2 billion! For those progressive liberals who are arithmetically challenged, that is equivalent to $2 billion dollars, face value, just sitting in a vault.

And true to form, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), one of the co-sponsors of the 2005 legislation who put this boondoggle before our esteemed and most frugal congress, was asked by the reporter (or what we used to call a reporter) if he (Sen. Reed) had one of these presidential coins in his pocket at the time.  What do you think his answer was?  No! Of course not.  He didn’t want to carry the junk around either!

Then, Diane Sawyer asks this most probing question, “Why isn’t this one of the first cuts made?”  Wow, who would have thought this kind of in-depth investigative reporting would surface from B Hussein Obama’s state media.  Wonders never cease.

It makes one realize there must be thousands of other foolish money wasting laws in place.  There are probably so many that no one person has the foggiest notion of the count or where they are.  Sounds like a lot of other bills were passed “so we can find out what is in it.”  Wait, I am about to go off in another direction which is another story in itself and better left for another time. There is just so much to write about.

Come quickly January 2013.

Harry Thompson